Cable spreader or separator



March 5, 1963 C. B. NORDSTROM CABLE SPRADER OR SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 8, 1961 l BY @V6 United States Patent @t 3,080,448 CABLE SFREADER OR SEPARATR Carl B. Nordstrom, Poughkeepsie, NX., assigner to Fargo Mfg. Company, lne., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. il, 1961, Ser. No. 136,771

Claims. (Cl. 174-146) This invention relates to a functionallyv and structurally improved spreader for use with current transmission cables.

It is an object of the invention to provide a spreader of simple and economical design which may read-ily be applied to and removed from cables and which, when in position, will properly maintain those cables in spaced condition with respect to each other as well as with respect to -a messenger cable which may be included in the transmission assembly.

A further object is that of providing la spreader which may be advantageously employed at points where a tapotf or a service coupling is to be pro-vided; t-he spreader incorporating characteristics suc-h that strains will be yieldingly resisted, either as a consequence of the cables tending to sway under wind conditions or the service coupling exerting strain-s in a direction laterally to the transmission cables.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention and in which:

FlG. 1 is -a perspective View of the spreader applied to transmission and messenger cables;

FlG. 2 is 1a sectional s-i-de view taken along the line 2-2 in the direction of arrows as indicated in FIG. l; and

FlGS. 3 and 4 are longitudinal section-al views in enlarged scale taken respectively along the lines 3-3 and 4 4 in the direction of the arrows as also indicated in FlG. l.

Referring primarily to PIG. 1, transmission cables have been shown at 5 and 5. A messenger cable 7 has been illustrated as forming a part of this grouping. Clamps such as 8 are applied one to each of the cables 5 and 6. While various types of clamps are usable, they should be of the general character shown in the prior United tates patents to Becker 2,469,542 of May l0, 1949, and Wengen et al. 2,858,522 of October 28, 1958.

Extend-ing laterally from the Itransmission cables is a conductor assembly. This will conveniently include leads 9 and la messenger cable 1li. The latter has its end connected with cable 7 by, for example, a clamp 1.1 oorresponding to the clamps 8. The cable 1li will also preferably mount a dead end or anchoring unit 1?. from which there extends a loo-p 13. This anchoring device should be of 4the type shown in the prior United States patent to Hampe 2,902,736 of September 8, 1959.

The spreader will comprise an elongated body formed of insulating material and of a generally rod-like configuration. While in the drawings a rod cylindrical in crosssection has been shown, it is lapparent that various other configurations could be employed to advantage. The rod is formed of any suitable material such as a thermo plastic, fiber glass, etc. Its ends are deiined by spiral coils 14, having an internal diameter such that they will properly engage the surfaces of the cables with which they are associated to retain the spreader against shifting along the cables. Extending inwardly from the inner ends of engaging portions 14 are arms 15 which have their inner ends connected to each other by a central loop 16. Thus a generally U-shaped spreader is furnished, the base of which comprises arms 15 and loop 16; the legs thereof being provided by the laterally extending coils 14.

In the illustrated embodiment, three cables 5-7 have been shown. Therefore, a corresponding number of cable engaging portions 14 and 16 have likewise been illustrated. it is apparent, however, that according to the needs of a given installation a corresponding number of engaging portions may =be included in the spreader. The spreader, which is preformed to include the parts 14 and lo, will embody resiliency in that the rod material may be laterally stressed and will, under these circumstances, iiex. By providing the central cable-receiving loop 16, the outer ends of the arms continued in the engaging portions 14 will be capable of limited Swinging movements around the relatively fixed point defined by loop 16. This is especially desirable in that the spreader, under these circumstances, will yieldingly resist swaying movements of the cables with respect to each other under wind and similar condition-s, although a cert-ain amount of sway will be tolerated.

1n the event tapaol connections are desired adjacent the spreader, then the arms 15 of the latter may be formed with loo-ps 17 at points intermediate their ends and preferably midway between loop 16 and the engaging portions 14. In common with the latter, loops 17 will be preformed in the spreader and all loops will extend outwardly from one side of the spreader body. With the ends of leads 9 of the conductor assembly connected to clamps 3 and the latter electrically connected to cables 5 and ti, it is app-arent that the dead end or anchoring device 12 may have its loop 13 or other suitable coupling connected to loop 17. In this manner, lateral strains, which would otherwise be imposed upon clamps 8 and cables 5 and 6, will be absorbed by the spreader. ln common with the swinging of the arms with respect to loop 16, it is apparent that under such strains the portions of a given arm 15 to each side of loops 17 will swing with respect to each other to yieldingly resist strains imposed by the service connection. The extension of messenger cable 1li to the clamp 11 and messenger cable 7 provides an obvious safety factor.

It is apparent that 4a linesman will have n-o dihiculty in applying this spreader. It will simply be necessary to ex arms 1S around loop 16 so that the latter will open and thus be capable of ready application to a cable such as 5. Likewise, the coils 14, when flexed, by moving their free ends, will open Iso that yas those ends are rotated the oonvolutions of the coils will encircle and enclose cables '7 and o and properly engage therewith. if further cables are included in the assembly, then the loops 17 may be similarly engaged. Otherwise, these loops will be of great value when establishing `a service connection as aforedescribed. Otherwise, they will simply form parts of the arms 15.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforenoted are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim is:

l. A cable spreader comprising la rod of resilient insulating material preformed -to provide an outer pair of expandable cable engaging coils, arms connected at their outer ends with said coils and extending inwardly towards each other, a cable encircling loop connected to the inner ends of said arms, said spreader having a U- shape in which .said .arms and loop comp-rise the base and said coils provide the legs thereof, and the convolution providing said loop being expandable to receive a cable upon the outer arm ends being swung relative to each other in certain directions; the release of said outer arm ends resulting in said loop yieldingly constrctiug around the thus embraced cable.

2. In a spreader as dened in claim l, and an anchoring means forming la' part lfo'f said rod at fa point intermediate the ends of one of saidarms to connect wit-h a conductor assembly extending laterally from said cables and resiliently supported therefrom.

3. ln a spreader -as dened in claim 2, sai-d anchoring means comprising a loop ,furnishing 'a yielding point Iaround whichthe parts of said one arm swing.

4, In va `spreader as defined inv claim 3, a further anchoring loop formed inthe vsecond of said `arms also at a .point intermedi-ate its ends andallof. said Aloops extending in 10 a generally similar direct-ionto one side. of saidspre'ader. 5. Ina spreader as denedin claim 1said k.preformed coils eaeh comprising Ia plurality of convolutions,terrninat l infg in' an 'outer end 'swin'gable around a cable to cause yielding encrclernent ofthe latter by said coils.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,760 Harden Oct. 12, 1897 1,288,485 Blackburn Dec. 24, 1918 1,693,670 Salesas' 1 Dec. 4, 1928 2,263,728 Gordon et al. Nov; 25, 1941 2,959,632 Peterson Nov. 8, 1960 3,021,381 Wengen Feb. 13, 1962 

1. A CABLE SPREADER COMPRISING A ROD OF RESILIENT INSULATING MATERIAL PERFORMED TO PROVIDE AN OUTER PAIR OF EXPANDABLE CABLE ENGAGING COILS, ARMS CONNECTED AT THEIR OUTER ENDS WITH SAID COILS AND EXTENDING INWARDLY TOWARDS EACH OTHER, A CABLE ENCIRCLING LOOP CONNECTED TO THE INNER ENDS OF SAID ARMS, SAID SPREADER HAVING A USHAPE IN WHICH SAID ARMS AND LOOP COMPRISE THE BASE AND SAID COILS PROVIDE THE LEGS THEREOF, AND THE CONVOLUTION PROVIDING SAID LOOP BEING EXPANDABLE TO RECEIVE A CABLE UPON THE OUTER ARM ENDS BEING SWUNG RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER IN CERTAIN DIRECTIONS; THE RELEASE OF SAID OUTER ARM ENDS RESULTING IN SAID LOOP YIELDINGLY CONSTRICTING AROUND THE THUS EMBRACED CABLE. 